


Mind Maze

by Sherlock1110



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Humour, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-19
Updated: 2018-02-19
Packaged: 2019-03-21 01:29:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13730238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sherlock1110/pseuds/Sherlock1110
Summary: John wants to know how to make a Mind Palace but things don’t go to plan.





	Mind Maze

**Author's Note:**

> Beta read by sherlockian4evr

John's breath hitched as Sherlock stepped up towards him, there was something about being so close to the taller man that was breathtaking. The detective had reached out to move his hands. He brought them up so they were near his temples. 

“Why are you doing that?”

Sherlock shrugged, a small scowl on his face. “It always helps me for some reason or rather, helps me to get into it. Once I'm there it's fine.”

“You're talking like it's an actual place.”

“Are places in your dreams real?”

John frowned. “I suppose. Sometimes.”

“It's no different. You have to think it's real to hide things there.”

“I don't want to hide things.”

“John, you're missing the point. Imagine you were in an endless desert and you needed to hide mission details of something you weren't meant to see when you were in Afghanistan. You dig a hole, throw it in and walk away. 15 years later you need to find that letter with those plans. Where would you look?”

John frowned. “I don't know... for something familiar?”

“Precisely. But in a desert there's nothing familiar. It's just desert. If you had to hide that same information in say... your family home when you were 15, you'd remember where you put it. It's similar to this. Picture an actual place in your childhood. One you won't forget.”

“Yours is a palace.”

“Yes,” the detective rolled his eyes. “The palace.”

John's eyes snapped open. “What? This thing in your head was a palace before we went there.”

Sherlock sank into his chair and watched the doctor for a moment. “I went there before that particular visit. Father had friends in high places.”

“And he dragged you along on a field trip?”

“I was 8. Mycroft was looking around Oxford with Mummy. I had to go with him.”

“Couldn't he have gotten you a baby sitter?”

The younger man shrugged. “Probably not.”

Intrigued, John let his eyebrow rise up of its own accord. “Why not?”

“I may or may not have locked several of them in the closet with my toy skeleton.”

John burst out laughing, made even more uncontrollable by the look on Sherlock's face. Like that was a perfectly normal thing for a child to do... he supposed it was Sherlock. “2 hours was the quickest I ever got rid of one.”

John rolled his eyes and chose not to respond to that. “So this palace thing is not you being hot headed.”

Sherlock snorted. “It certainly is. Just not the way you seem to think. Now, close your eyes.”

Over and over and over again they repeated the same process. 

“Have you got anything that looks remotely like a house?” Sherlock asked after the 11th time. 

John shook his head, his eyes screwing up in annoyance, Sherlock made this look easy! “I can see a bush,” he offered. 

“A bush?” Sherlock scowled, trying to work out what it could mean. “Big one, little one?”

“Big. Really tall.”

Sherlock fell backwards, where he was sat on the floor in front of John, as he leant back, he rested against the sofa. 

“Um... Sherlock, these bushes are on three sides of me now.”

“What?”

“Three sides are blocked by bushes.”

“Then go in the direction that's not.”

John made a point to steady himself as he paced inside his head. It was like a whole other world and he could see why Sherlock seemed to spend so much time in it. 

***

“Why is he on the floor?”

Sherlock glanced up at Mrs. Hudson and sniggered slightly. “He's learning something useful.” He got to his feet and crossed the room to her to not disturb the prone doctor. 

John was laid out on his back, his eyes screwed shut in concentration. 

Mrs. Hudson placed the tray down and wrapped her arms around him. He couldn’t fight her off even if he wanted to, not with John busy in his head on the floor. 

“What are you doing to him?”

“He’s creating a Mind Palace... well not a Mind Palace, a mind wherever he is.”

“Why?”

“He wanted to know if it would work for him. Something about saving good information for his blog. At least that’s what he said it was, I think it’s him wanting to show off to Mary when they lose the nappy wipes or something.”

Mrs. Hudson laughed as she poured the tea for them both. “I need to go, dear, my program is on. Just make sure he doesn’t get lost in his head or something.”

The detective’s eyes widened in surprise... then realisation, he actually grabbed his land lady and kissed her on the cheek, “Mrs. Hudson, you are a genius!”

“I know, dear. Just not your housekeeper,” and with that she was gone.

Sherlock turned on his toe and crouched down beside the doctor. “John!” 

After a moment the doctor jerked alert, eyes snapping wide, staring up at the ceiling. “What?” His eyes were squinting at the light. 

“When you were a child did you got to a maze? One of those big forest ones and you have to find the middle?”

“Yes...”

“The bushes in your head, do they look like that?”

“Umm...” the blond sat up with a groan. “Yes. The bit with 3 sides. I went with Harry, she was pissed, all we did was end up in the same dead end over and over.”

Sherlock snorted. “You haven’t made a Mind Palace, you imbecilic moron. You’ve made a Mind Maze!”


End file.
